Chapter Nineteen- The Clean Up

When she kissed him, Dean almost forgot that the kiss wasn't real; that its innocence and wholesomeness were a rouse. That he shouldn't want to press her against him and kiss her back.

The kiss was interrupted by a roar and the clang of metal. Sam had snapped out of his bonds and tackled Dean, taking the metal pipe down with them. The two were immediately soaked with water as the pipe broke.

Dean coughed out the mouthful of water he had unintentionally gulped down. He managed to take in a gasp of air before Sam grabbed his shirt collar and began punching him. Dean tried to guard his face, but the punches kept coming. Dean could feel his skin splitting every time Sam made contact with his face. He spluttered out, "Sam! We have to stop her!"

Sam yanked Dean up and brought him close to his face. He yelled over the water pouring over them, "You do think I'm a failure, don't you? That I'm never going to prove that I've learned my lesson! Maybe you're right! Maybe I'm really as evil as you think I am!" Sam threw another punch, Dean's nose breaking under it.

Dean tried to speak, but between the punches and the water he kept inhaling, it was futile. It wasn't until Sam began to tire that he yelled, "No, Sam! You aren't! I know you aren't!"

Sam's raised fist stilled.

Dean continued, pausing to spit out a mouthful of blood, "You aren't a failure, Sam. You made a mistake and you're sorry. You're trying to fix it and that's all you can do!"

Sam's fist lowered slightly.

Dean slowly raised one hand protectively as he sat up, Sam's hand still clenched to the front of his shirt. "Look, I should have been easier on you about the whole Ruby thing. You didn't know all this was going to happen. I was angry about how messed up everything got and I took that out on you. I'm sorry."

Sam remained frozen, fist floating in midair. Then, his fist fell as he leaned back, waking from his trance. He dazedly searched for Naomi, but saw she was nowhere to be found. He bent in half and pressed his head into his hands. Dean leaned against the brick wa;; as he watched Sam's shoulders begin to shake.

Dean gently rested his hand on his brother's back, consoling him in the only way that seemed right. All the words that needed to be said had been spoken. All that remained was a heavy hand on a burdened back.

Water pooled around the two brothers, but they didn't move. This was the most peaceful moment they had had in months and both wanted to savor it for as long as they could. Dean sniffed, wiping at his nose when he felt blood tickle his lip. It was Sam who finally broke the silence.

"I'm tired, Dean. I'm so tired of the fighting, of the angels and the demons, of wearing the fate of the world on our backs, of this." He looked up, gesturing between him and Dean.

Dean found his voice. "Me too, Sammy."

Sam sighed. "Do you think it'll ever end?"

Dean shrugged and managed a crooked smile. "One way or another. Either way," he slapped Sam on the shoulder, "we'll do it together."

Sam's mouth twinged into a smile. "This is a real Kodak moment."

Dean shoved Sam back, so he fell into the water. "It was until you ruined it. Good going."

Sam's smile grew, preparing to splash Dean in retaliation when he spotted a pink heel bobbing in the rising water. His smile fell.

Dean followed Sam's gaze, his smile following suit. Then, the sound of police sirens slowly started to wail in the distance. The boys exchanged a glance, both acknowledging that it was time to leave.

Sam immediately began sloshing through the water, searching for the shoe's owner. They found the body floating facedown behind some beer boxes. Sam lifted Tiffany's body out of the water and Dean grimaced when he made his way around the boxes. A thick gash stretched across Tiffany's neck, the ends almost reaching to her ear lobes.

Sam stared at her for a moment. Dean saw Sam imagining Tiffany when she was alive, the life that could have been lived, but was hacked short. "She's gone."

Dean spat out, "When I get my hand on Meg, I swear I'm going to make her regret ever coming after us again."

Sam gently lied Tiffany back down, lowering her eyelids over an empty gaze. "We need to find her first."

"Oh, we'll find her. She'll let us find her. She'll wish she hadn't though."

Sam looked up at Dean. "What about Naomi?"

Dean swallowed a lump that developed in his throat. "I don't know." He started marching towards the stairs. "But all of Hell is going to pay once I do."